too big for one's breeches
1
8.8
- idiom
- UK
:
creerse más de lo que es
- Ever since his promotion, he's been too big for his breeches and treats everyone as if they're beneath him.
Examples
-
He acts like he's too big for his breeches since getting the promotion.
-
Don't get too big for your breeches just because you won one game.
-
Her parents warned her not to become too big for her breeches after winning the award.
-
Don't be too big for your breeches at work!
-
The player was acting too big for his breeches after scoring a single goal in the match.
-
Her arrogance made everyone feel she was too big for her breeches in the meeting.
-
You should be careful not to get too big for your breeches just because you received a promotion.
Synonyms
22
7.5
A person who thinks they are better than other people
16
7.8
Acting as if you are better than other people
16
7.4
Acting as if you are better than other people
3
9.1
Acting more important than you really are
Acting more confident and important than you really are
Being very proud and acting like you are better than others
Antonyms
How Arrogant
- UK
1
8.8
260
4.5
24
5.4
11
4.1
81
2.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
too + big + for + one + breeches
The expression is idiomatic and metaphorical: knowing 'too', 'big', 'for', 'one's' and the archaic noun 'breeches' (short trousers) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the meaning 'overly self-important' from the literal clothing image. Clothing metaphors for arrogance exist but are language-specific and not transparently compositional here, so prior exposure is typically required.
Etymology
Too big for one's breeches comes from old clothes: breeches were short pants people wore long ago. One popular story says someone who wanted to seem more important would wear larger, fancier breeches, so the image of 'wearing pants too big for you' now means 'acting too proud'.